


Alps.

by fxrefliess



Category: Lego Ninjago, The LEGO Ninjago Movie (2017)
Genre: Bruiseshipping, Everyone Is Gay, Fluff, Fluffy, I might add more, I wrote this a few years ago and finally finished it now, M/M, Ninjago, One-Shot, POV Changes, Season Eight, cole and jay, ninjago season 8, pre-Season 8, theyre gay but don’t know
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-02
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:41:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23441878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fxrefliess/pseuds/fxrefliess
Summary: The black clad had laughed, a hum coming from his guts. As it has been said: it was a gut feeling. He told himself that this was right; it was normal, and most of all, it felt good.Not only because of the extra bubble of body heat, but because it was Jay. And Cole did not mind if it was Jay.One blanket, two best friends. It was cold, can you blame them?slow burn / bruiseshipping / starts before season 8 when jay n cole r alone in the ninjago alps
Relationships: Bruiseshipping - Relationship, Cole & Jay Walker, Cole/Jay Walker
Comments: 7
Kudos: 66





	1. you have me

**Author's Note:**

> hi, lmao. i wrote this a while ago and finally racked up the courage to post it—so yeah. i might add more, if you guys like it . . after all, i did have ideas.
> 
> btw, a ‘xxx’ means the pov changes, just a heads up.

This was not the first time Cole had lost someone close to him. His mother passed away years ago, leaving the young boy to fend for himself. For most of his life, Cole’s father was absent, choosing not to dive deep into how his son was feeling. To say missing out on all those skipped years did not matter, would be a lie; it changed Cole. But now Master Wu was gone as well. Cole told himself he would not let the loss break him again. However, sometimes the earth ninja was left wondering why he still let so many people past the walls he constantly rebuilt up, when the outcome almost always remained the same. It remained awful. 

Time seemed to play tricks. It often left people asking themselves if the good would arise over the bad after each and every sorrowful day. It changed people, both physically and mentally. As a ninja, Cole knew this even more personally than others.

So Cole was given a hell of a lot of time to think after so many events spiraled down. He knew it was wrong to blame other members of his team for the lost sensei; he knew the siblings did not mean it. They would sure only hope for the best. Kai and Nya both seemed so distraught over the low blow as well, even more so that they have lost people before too. But everything was easier to deal with if the blame was pinned on someone else. 

In no way did this mean Cole had to tell anyone how he felt. If anything, it was even more reasons to hold back and keep it secret. He learned most ways from his father, and unfortunately good old papa Brookstone never knew very well coping mechanisms. Now neither does his son.

So the obvious choice for Cole was to go look for his master. Because what else was there to do? Sulk? It was like when Zane had passed away all over again; the ninja practically split up. This time however, they had attempted to keep fairly in touch, but Cole usually did not answer the phone. He would not let anyone else get close until he found those who deserved to be here first.

The black clad traveled through far away lands the ninja have only dreamed of visiting. Half of these places Cole only thought were fantasies of fiction. But he loved it: the adventure, the distraction, the reason to go outside and be in nature. Cole was really, truly in his element. And, in the long run, it was also his way to cope.

He had brought Jay along with him, for company. Because even after all these troublesome years, Jay always came back to fight by his side somehow. Through the problems and destruction, Jay remained faithful. And throughout the journey’s constant bickering and low-leveled jokes, Cole eventually grew thankful he was not completely alone again while searching. Of course came the nagging and complaints, but it made Cole realize how broken his team would end up without knowing their original leader was forever well resting. It put even more determination on his face.

The pair eventually traveled into the snowy ninjago alps. 

Cole would be lying to himself if he said he did not feel the need to protect Jay. It felt more genuine than it did before; much more different than it did with the other team members. Sometimes he wanted to stand by lightning’s side just to see that grin creep onto the younger boy’s rosy lips, to see his cheeks flush up at what lightning always lied to be because of the ‘cold weather’. The noitte picked up even more of Jay’s bubbly habits.

Like how when Jay was nervous about the situation, not only did his voice quicken and continue to spew out words, but he moved in jitter. When trying to climb through certain peaks of the cold snowy mountain, many times the blue clad paused and walked in place. Every time it put a smile on Cole’s face. When Jay was like this, he said anything and everything on his mind; he was practically vulnerable. Cole grew to appreciate how someone could speak what they feel so breathlessly. In the long run, he was growing to appreciate Jay much more.

Cole realized he had truly seen them both grow up, even more so than some lesson learned by battle. He had watched time carve them into something more; the clock ticking by let him pay attention to each beautiful detail. 

Cole himself has flourished into a strong, level-headed leader. He tried to remain calm for the sake of the group, and most of the time it did work. Looking back, he noticed his team was always put first; Jay was always put first. And the ginger haired boy had slowly learned to be more himself. Even Cole could see how much more confidence Jay had. It was nice to see someone grow comfortable in their own skin.

xxx

Jay was left wondering why he was constantly standing in about three feet of snow, a harsh breeze cutting through his blue tinted jacket. The team had been repeatedly told how Master Wu was unfortunately gone, so why were him and Cole looking desperately over and over again for someone who could not be found?

Sometimes he thought Cole was crazy for going this far. Then again, he realized how much his teammate cared and it made him feel special that he’d want Jay to come with, out of all people. Obviously, this journey was not going to be an easy one.

Either way, it’s not like Jay had much to do: hang out with his parents at the junkyard. Yes, he loved his parents, but chatting away with Cole beat that any day. Because it was Cole. And the pair just simply clicked, hence why they have been best friends.

However, running wild through nature, feeling the inpatient winds and rocky cliffs? That does not exactly mix with Jay. He never liked following a path. Just give him a blunt goal and let him figure out the way by trial and error. That’s how a tinker thinks. But that mindspace would have gotten him killed in a second. 

Cole said he needed to be more careful.

Jay only snickered and said he should loosen up. 

That day, to put it simply, was fun. It did not even seem very cold. In fact, if Jay remembered corrected, he was actually quite warm. Often he felt his own cheeks flush warm. However there was in fact a breeze, for him and the earth ninja laughed about how a piece of equipment almost blew right off the side of the mountain. 

But maybe it was the fun crackling in his constant smile, the humor in the air, and Cole’s sweet laughter following shortly after every joke that kept Jay warm. Maybe he was far too distracted by the beauty of the moment to be brought down by the single digit number on the red thermometer. 

But those days seemed to be far and few in between. 

And so some days he was left thinking. Jay thought of a lot of things, mostly about Cole. First, how the earth ninja never complained about anything during the trip; Jay was always the one groaning about something. And usually, it was also Jay who started talking first. Otherwise the silence swept away the pair on the lonely mountain side. 

Jay was constantly trying to think up new, strange questions to ask the other boy to break the silence, but usually came up short. It was not that the noiseless moments were awkward; if anything, they were comfortable. The two were that close. And close enough to have answers to many, many possible questions. 

Favorite food. Best time of the day. Most visited diner. Anything.

Well . . . There was one question Jay was unsure about. But he would never ask it. Ever.

When Jay was not worried about questions or complaints, he was struggling to stay awake or balanced on the cliff. Blue could see how well and talented Cole was at this, because while he yelled in fear—Cole stayed steady to help them both through it. 

There were calming nights, however, that usually put things into perspective. Jay missed the team. He really did. He missed how they would all laugh and eat Zane’s amazing cooking. God, on top of that, he missed Zane’s food. Jay was tired of eating packed food, or canned meals. He wanted to sit at a table and sip a smoothie with his friends . . . His family. Call him old-fashion, but he missed the simple things.

Each night was freezing. Of course it was cold; they were high up in the air, snow pounding on the small salvaged shack Cole found. 

“Do you actually think we’ll find him?”

xxx

Believe it or not, Cole did not think Jay would speak that night. The previous day was awful; mountain goats following their trail and the wind was surely much more harsh. Snow poured down extra. The pair misled a turn and almost ended up falling into a trench Cole had no intention of knowing how deep. 

So when Jay’s voice came out, a tiny mumble against the wooden walls protecting them from the storm outside, Cole practically jumped up from the floor where he laid for the night.

“What?”

His head peeked up over the side of the bed, to spot Jay sitting in the center. He was curled into a ball, blanket poorly draped over the blue ninja’s small shoulders. Cole was cold just by looking at him.

“Do you think we will . . .” Jay began once more, voice a little louder, “. . . Yknow, actually find him?”

“I hope so.”

Because I dunno what I’ll do if we don’t, were Cole’s unspoken words, the thoughts that lingered in his head and stayed there. Master Wu was like a father to him. Losing again was not an option.

Cole stood up and sat on the edge of the bed, picking up the sheet around Jay’s shoulders and trying to adjust it better for warmth. He did it without even thinking, hands dropping from the lightning’s shoulders awkwardly as he realized what he was doing. Jay only watched, eyes downcasted. 

“What if we don’t?” asked the younger, hands grabbing the blanket’s edge and pulling it close; Cole took that as a good sign that he wasn’t pushed away. “What if we’re just spending our life out here for no reason?”

Cole could not say there was no reason at all. He thought they were growing as a people, as ninja. He knew they were growing a stronger bond together as friends than ever. “We’re not.”

“But what if w—.”

“Jay, ‘what if’s are overrated,” Cole cut him off. 

His head tilted to the side to scan the other’s freckled face for a reaction. The earth ninja did not know how to comfort someone all that well, did not know how to make situations better. That’s particularly why he kept to himself; so he would not have to struggle and try to build everything back up again.

“And true,” mumbled lightning. “Sometimes.”

Cole paused. He watched, looking at Jay’s bright beautiful glossy eyes. “You okay?” he asked instead, a poor excuse to change the topic slightly. 

The clear answer of ‘no’ looked hesitant on Jay’s tongue. Cole wanted to know; he wanted to know everything bubbling in his bubbly friend’s head. He had to know what Jay thought. 

“I guess,” answered the younger after a beat of silence. “I just—I miss them all, yknow?”

“I know.”

Jay huffed. “And I miss heat. Man, what I’d do for Kai to just . . . You get my point.”

“Yeah, I get it,” Cole answered, followed by a sniffle of a laugh. 

Jay looked at him, features soft, with his head to the side. “What’s so funny?”

“Kai,” the black clad mumbled. “Trying to imagine him in his weather.”

xxx

Kai in snow for multiple days straight made Jay laugh. The lightning ninja knew somehow Cole could make him feel better in seconds without even realizing it. And that was one of the things he loved about his teammate. He was always there, no matter what, even when he knew things himself were looking bad. He never stopped trying to help others.

“I miss home, too,” Jay continued, pulling his legs closer to him. “It’s being out in the mountains, all cold and alone, that kinda sucks.”

The blue clad rested his chin on his knee, hoping the slight change in position would keep him warmer. Even in the small shack, he was freezing, blankets piled all over the place.

“You’re not alone,” was Cole’s response. 

There seemed to be hesitation in the other’s voice, as if he was unsure it was the right thing to say. Nevertheless, the three words put a small smile on Jay’s lips. The look of reassurance spread across his face. 

“I know it’s not much, but you got me.”

Jay was practically rendered speechless, staring at his older teammate for what he did not realize was a little too long. But it was quite the sight; noticing all the curves and dips of Cole’s face, seeing pale lips curl into a smile to match one of his own.

Jay knew Cole was strong. Everyone did. He assumed being master of earth naturally made him bigger and stronger, to be as solid as a rock inside and out. And sometimes, yeah, it did make Jay seem even more smaller in comparison, but it was Cole. So he did not even mind.

“I know,” he mumbled, a playful grin on his lips. There was a laugh, a very quiet laugh, but there nonetheless. Jay thought he was funny. “You couldn’t get rid of me even if you tried.”

The black clad snorted a laugh, shifting on the bed to lean his back on the creaky bed frame. Jay watched him get comfortable, patting the empty space next to him in a gesture for the ginger to join. But lightning hesitated, knowing the spot would probably be much colder if he moved. 

“I’ll keep you warm.”

Just like that, Jay knew his face flushed red. There it was again: Cole and his seemingly so simple way to easily cheer Jay up; or in this case, make him embarrassed. 

For a moment, Jay did not know why he was embarrassed, so suddenly shy. It was only his teammate. Sure, they have been in close situations before, so why did it now feel different? And more importantly, why did Jay want to immediately accept the other’s offer: to crawl over, curl up into earth’s side, and keep warm?

But he did not.

Not immediately.

Instead he gave a look; almost like he was questioning Cole’s words. 

“I know you’re cold, Jay, I can practically see you shaking,” continued the other in the moment of silence.

He was right, as per usual.

xxx

Cole did not realize what he had asked before it was too late. Mentally cringing, he tried his best to hide the doubt. Yet, a horrific feeling bubbled within his bones, worried that he could cause a dent in the pairs’ relationship—again. 

But before he could dwell on it for too long, Jay silently accepted the offer; scooting closer into the crook of Cole’s arm. Earth watched the younger boy untangle the blanket, and attempt to toss it over the both of them. Shuffling to match the movements, Cole turned slightly to face Jay, so he could keep him close, with an arm wrapped around. Part of him was peeking out of the blanket; he was cold. But Jay visibly looked like he was getting warmer, so that was all that mattered.

Swallowing, Cole’s eyes glanced down, scanning over the delicate features of his teammate. Perhaps Jay could feel the extra pair of eyes on him, because he cleared his throat.

Cole tried his best to play it cool.

“Don’t tell anyone else about this,” Jay murmured, body curling up like a ball—but this time against Cole. “That is, if we make it out of here alive to see them.”

The black clad had laughed, a hum coming from his guts. As it has been said: it was a gut feeling. He told himself that this was right; it was normal, and most of all, it felt good. Not only because of the extra bubble of body heat, but because it was Jay. And Cole did not mind if it was Jay.

“I won’t,” answered the older boy, just to play along. Was it even normal to feel like this? Not that he knew what ‘this’ was, but he hoped it would not go away.

Most importantly, did Jay even feel the same blissful way?

“I promise we’ll make it back, Bluebell.”


	2. why’re we giving up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Ready, bud?” Cole asked, fingers pulling back up his scarf; the only part of his body showing was his eyes, and he planned to keep it that way—for the cold, of course. It wrapped loosely over his ninja gi’s darkened mask.
> 
> “Ready,” vocalized blue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hiii <33 I’m back with another chap! it’s abt 4K words 
> 
> apologize for this being a bit late, I’m updating other fics at once, lmao. quarantine got me cranking stories out. if u like glacier shipping though, I suggest checking out my story “give it a shot” !! it’s a funky au.
> 
> enough self promo !! I hope u enjoy this next chap bc I like the way it came out <33

Heartbeat slowing down, a sense of tranquility washed over Jay. He was still leaning against his teammate, close enough to feel Cole’s breath thankfully reach a steady beat as well. 

Jay’s eyes were closed, but his ears were wide open . . Taking in the words from Earth. A promise—he had promised. Some promises, Jay knew, were meant to be broken, however. But the ginger told himself that something this serious was honest. He informed himself that it was not just for the two of them, but for the whole team—the whole city, at that. 

Without Wu, who were the ninja?

Perhaps not many people of the public knew the familiar face, an iconic white beard dangling down. But Jay did, and he knew he would be somewhere totally different, both physically and mentally, if it was not for that sensei.

So in reality, he owed it to Wu to stay on look out. Of course it was freezing, and Jay missed many things—heat probably being near the top of that list. But it was his job to protect the city, wasn’t it? And while on duty, Wu protected him. 

Losing the old man was like losing a last line of defense, even through all the system’s flaws.

Inhaling, the boy tried not to focus on such daring thoughts at this peaceful time. Instead, he leaned into Cole, fingers gently tugging the blanket closer. He was ready for a voice to project disagreement, but there was only silence. 

Well, silence and the constant rush of wind from outside.

But no voices or shuffling let a comfortable silence drop over the pair, and he definitely enjoyed such noiseless moments. The boy tried not to take it for granted, and eventually let sleep wash over him.

Cole was comfortable. Even for the Master of Earth, the raven-haired was quite soft to lean against. Jay realized how close in contact they were, eyes hesitantly peeking open to steal a glance. His blue eyes scanned over Cole’s tan jawline, a bubbly feeling merely washing over him. 

They were so close, and that question—the question from days ago bubbled back into the ginger’s head. He felt as if he was dying just to ask, but unsure when the time was right. Now would be a perfect time, though, wouldn’t it? . . A perfect time to ask if Cole wanted to be a little bit more than just best friends; to seal it with a—.

Oh, come on. Who was Jay kidding? 

Of course not. 

With a nervous sigh, he shuffled against the other boy. And . . Thought about home before eventually dozing off to sleep.

He thought about the city, and the cars constantly beeping while passing through the streets; about the blue sky that ran for miles, slowed down only by the giant skyscrapers. Ninjago was a beautiful place when it really came down to it—beautiful, but tainted with dark secrets.

It reminded Jay of someone . . Someone he knew very well.

xxx

Cole was up. 

He was awake when Jay peeled the blanket closer to himself, and he was awake when the blue clad had fallen comfortably to sleep as well. He had felt the blue eyes scan over his face, but Cole kept his own doe brown orbs closed. 

Would looking back ruin the moment? . . Not that there was a moment to begin with; they were just trying to gather heat in order to sleep. There was no special moment, was there? Cole wanted to believe that there was, but his mind told him not to get too attached. 

Because when he gets attached, things run away.

And if Cole knew anything, it was that he did not want to lose the lightning ninja—definitely not again.

When the frisky morning arrived, Cole felt his eyes peel open at what felt like the first glimpse of sun. It was significantly brighter, however the air was still obnoxiously fridged. He yawned, feet swinging off of the side of the bed. The boy looked back at Jay, who was still seemingly sound asleep; the blanket curled around the younger boy. 

Cole could not help but smile. Jay . . He looked so peaceful, and in that moment, Earth wanted nothing more than to just slip back into the bed and sleep. But, morning called unfortunately. He lifted a hand up gingerly, ready to push back some of Jay’s chocolate colored curls that had fallen perfectly over his face, when something cracked outside—or rather, someone. It would not have raised an internal alarm within Cole, except for the fact that it sounded a bit more than just the natural wind. 

It sounded like a yell.

Eyes dawning to the door, Cole shook his head, pulling his hand back away from Jay. The black clad grabbed his jacket and shrugged the extra clothing on. And without a second thought, the boy slipped outside. Whether it was a group of hunting natives, or just some stay animal, Cole was on his toes.

“Hello?” he asked loudly against the wind, spotting a figure a few steps out—details dulled by the snow. With no other choice, he walked forward to the other person; might as well see what he can do. “Hey, can you help us? I’m—we’re looking for someone.”

Cole raised a suspicion eyebrow when this mystery person did not respond. The ninja tapped the other on the shoulder gently, taking another fragile step to reach their line of sight. “If you’re lost, we can help you,” Cole added, putting his needs second—as always. His head loosely gestured to the cabin Jay was still sleeping in. “We have food and spare blankets in that shack ov—.”

“Who are you in need of?”

“Huh?”

That was when Cole realized the person was a woman. Her face aged with wrinkles, hair pushed messily back within her hood. Her hands dipped in pockets of the clothing she wore; to Cole, the material looked quite simple. It was coated in shades of brown, reminding Earth when the ground was covered in grass, in dirt, and not just freezing snow. And her voice . . It was calming, as if coated in wisdom, just as Wu’s had once been. 

“You said you were looking for someone,” the old woman rephrased, eyes finally blinking up to the elemental master. “Who?”

“Oh—it’s my sensei,” answered the boy. “He disappeared a while ago, and my friend—.” Friend. Was Jay just a friend? Cole blinked; now was not the time to think about that. “—and I are trying to find him again.”

“I wish you luck, young one.”

“Do you . . Do you know where he might be?” Cole had questioned, doubtful she would, but tried nonetheless. “He’s tall, long white beard, and—.”

“You are hopeful, yes?” she asked instead, turning slowly—turning gently to the black clad as he nodded. Hopeful; of course he was hopeful, even if the flame was slowly dying out, Cole did not quite give up completely. “I shall tell you what I know.”

He tried his best to hide the wisp of excitement that bubbled in him suddenly. What were the odds of this? . . That some random old lady could possibly know where Master Wu could be. It had been over a year without the sensei, and Cole was unsure whether the man was still in this realm—if he was even in this current time zone. After all, it appeared the past and present had been altered right as the old man disappeared. And all Cole could do was hope that their previous teacher would not truly be gone forever. 

“There is a temple,” began the woman, turning once more to face the direction where Ninjago City was located, “over there. Just—.” Cough. “—just beyond the snow valleys. An old man arrived not too long ago . . Perhaps a week, with no memory of the past.”

Holy First Spinjitzu Master.

“If you are hopeful enough, I pray the wise man will be the one you and your friend are in search of.”

“Thank you,” Cole blurted. He had almost pumped his fist into the air, almost made a little celebration, before deciding against it. “Thank you so much.”

The old woman only nodded, lips creeped with what appeared to be a smile. 

“Can I—do you need any help?” the ninja offered. “Food? . . Water? . . Maybe so—.”

She shook her head, hands reaching out to hold Cole’s gloved ones; the moment made him stop talking, eyes glancing down as well. “Do not worry of me,” she cooed, patting their hands together reassuringly. “I am well. Be more aware of yourself and your young, troubled heart.”

“Wha—?”

“I wish you the best of luck,” the woman finished, retracting her hands back into the darkened pockets. Her eyes stared blankly off into the distance, before dawning back to Cole. “I suggest you begin your journey now, before the scheduled storm hits.”

“It’s already storming, though?”

“Ninjago Alps will scream with snow in a few hours; much colder than now.”

“And what about you?”

“I am well,” she repeated, taking a step forward—a step past Cole, in the opposite direction where she had gestured the temple would be located. “Young one, goodbye.”

Cole raised an eyebrow at her strange behavior, turning to glance at the shack where Jay was still huddled asleep inside. What if everything the lady said was part of a trap? What if—.

Stop; no more negative ‘what if’s. Cole knew he should remain hopeful, as the old woman had said. And he knew if he could not do it for himself, he would do it for the rest of the team. 

For Jay.

And so, the black clad stared as the woman slowly dipped out of view, being consumed by the itching wind full of snow. His head was just as cloudy, breezing with thoughts of what could happen. But Cole was hopeful, and hope meant he would do the next right thing.

He knew that was to go to the temple. 

xxx

Jay could already feel, already tell, his face was most likely going to be visibly red all day. 

Last night? . . Was a mess. A good mess, at that, but holy hell. Sure, he was cold. It still very well felt like below freezing everyday, everywhere, he went. Unfortunately, during the long, dark nights, the temperature only seemed to plummet more. Jackets layered on top to try and fight the frigid feeling did little to actually help. But what did help, however, was Cole. 

Of course, Cole helped; he always did. He was Cole after all. It was his job to help. 

The part that scared Jay was how the older boy had helped . . Because their limbs were practically interlaced throughout the bitter night. Even before Jay dashed off into sleep, he knew he was up against the other boy; he knew and yet he still did it. After all, Cole had kind of told him to do it, anyway. In the long run, they basically cuddled all night. Do best friends even do that? Do teammates cuddle? Probably, yeah; it was normal, right? Still, it was a harsh condition, and they always call for dramatic actions.

But Jay wanted to do it again.

When he awoke, the sun was peeking through the snow dipped mountain cliffs. The little windows within the shack were illuminated from the outside world. Day or not, it was still cloudy, but he could tell he had soundlessly slept through the night—which was new, considering he tended to wake up in a worried jitter. Jay was completely wrapped up in the blanket, and yet he still shivered. It was cold, but what was worse was that the other side of the bed was empty. 

A quick glance to the floor, where Earth normally laid, proved to be empty, as well. Heartbeat picking up pace, the ginger haired stood up. Hands curled into balls to wipe the remaining sleep from his eyes.

Stumbling to the door, Jay squinted and peeked out. There was a figure standing outside, fighting against the harsh winds. Snow flurried through the thick air, and it still pained Jay’s heart; reminding him of the Master of Ice back in the city. Oh, how he missed home. 

“Cole,” the younger boy yawned as he opened the door ever so slightly, voice much quieter than expected; the atmosphere ate it up, wind wisping his calls away without a second thought. “Hey, dirt for brains!” he yelled louder after a moment. 

The only way he knew the older boy heard him, was because he spun around. Jay swallowed the crash of emotions that hit him suddenly, taking a step back from the door; Cole began to walk back inside, as well. And Jay knew he would rather face whatever inevitable embarrassment was to come next than have the other stuck outside in the cold longer than necessary. 

Moments later, the wooden door crashed largely open, wind erupting inside immediately. Cole had snow drizzled all over him, face flushed red from the obviously low temperature. Jay had to admit, it was a refreshing look—even if he shivered at the daring drop in temperature. 

“Hi?” the ginger spoke, hands wrapping tighter around his own body. Maybe it would help if he had actually put on his thicker wool clothing for the day. But then again, he had just woken up.

Eyes sweeping throughout the room, Jay was confused as to why Cole stayed silent as he shut the door back closed. Did he do something bad? Was his snoring much too loud last night? Of course, the pair always bunked together, but was being closer secretly tearing them apart?

Jay could not help but shiver once more at the mere thought. Perhaps it was his usual messy bed head that caused a scene—or rather, a lack of a scene. Although Jay’s messy hair was never as bad as Kai’s. Granted, no one’s was; the fire elemental could be quite a mess.

“Where’s your bag?” Earth asked after a second too long. It felt like forever to Jay. But maybe that was because he was feeling tense as is.

“In the corner—why?” answered Jay, head nodding in a lazy gesture to the items. A blue bag, of course, which was unzipped with his belongings sprawled around. There was a small lightning bolt engraved onto the fabric, and it showed prominently. Looking back at his teammate, the boy spoke up again to try and break whatever awkward feeling he felt. “And I gotta be honest, man, standing outside like that is—.”

“Because we’re leaving,” interrupted the older ninja. 

xxx

“What?” Jay asked immediately, head tilting back towards Cole. 

Maybe it was silly of him to drop the bomb so bluntly. The taller boy raised a hand up in defense, a motion used as if to say there was more to come. His brows furrowed, face scrunching up. Cole Brookstone was just like his father after all; not good with words, and awful at emotions, it was almost pitifully. Sometimes he wondered how he even landed the title as the ninja team’s leader. Perhaps, just like the others, he worked best when just winging it. 

Maybe he really was overthinking too much.

“We’re going back to Ninjago City,” Earth rephrased, pulling down the scarf tied around his neck so his words were not as muffled. “I—I’m done.”

“Cole, what is that supposed to mean?” questioned Jay again. He listened to the other ninja anyway, taking a step back to his items, hands outstretched to put them back in the one bag. “Done, what?”

“It means,” Cole began once more, pausing to sigh. “Down the mountain side, rumor has it there’s some ancient library—type thing. We’re gonna go there instead, okay, Blue, for info? Then we’re going back. Home—back home. There’s a storm coming.”

There was more that he refused to admit to Jay. Watching the freckles on the other boy scrunch from confusion, Cole was glad he did not seem to push any more questions further in the moment. Because he was not sure how lightning would take the other information, so the best bet was to hide it. 

The information that he was directly listening to some random old lady about where to go next. 

“Okay.”

“So, pack up your stuff,” Cole added with a nod. Technically, he told himself that this was not lying; he was not giving any false information to Jay . . It just was not the complete truth, that was all.

“Okay.”

Cole hated coming off like that; coming off like all he did was boss others around. He truly had no intention of doing so, but if he was not firm about it, he was well aware that Jay would just continue to joke about everything. Or, well—joke about their current situation, or ask way too many questions about last night. 

To be fair, Cole had some questions himself, too. But he would not ever ask them, for he was afraid of the answer. Whether it was an actual answer, or just more awkward denial, Cole had no intention of finding out.

Watching as Jay got his stuff, Cole shuffled to swing his own few belongings on his back. He knew the younger boy wanted to say so many things; he could see the questions and statements practically written on Jay’s face about their current predicament, but was actually unsure why the bubbly other did not ask.

“Ready, bud?” Cole asked, fingers pulling back up his scarf; the only part of his body showing was his eyes, and he planned to keep it that way—for the cold, of course. It wrapped loosely over his ninja gi’s darkened mask.

Jay nodded, peering back at the little wooden shack. Cole watched as the younger boy slipped his own mask up, causing his curly hair to be sheltered as well. Cole had to admit, while most of the ninja had a head plenty full of hair, he never knew how Jay could keep his so effortlessly beautiful . . Or maybe that was weird to think about? 

What? . . Can’t one male compliment his teammate’s hair style? That was really all it was, after all. He will never, ever admit how well it frames the younger boy’s face, or how it makes both his smile and eyes miraculously sparkle. Those were things that would never come out of Cole’s mouth, but he thought the words quite often. He liked to think he was getting better at hiding it, too. 

Jay turned to face the room where they bunked. Lightning offered a playful salute in goodbye, and it earned a side-smile from Cole.

“Ready,” vocalized blue.

Exhaling a breath, Cole could already see the puff of air in front of him. He reluctantly opened the door, and the two boys walked out into the snow.

xxx

Jay noticed Cole staring at him as he had flipped on his hood. Before, he probably would have mentioned it; probably would have sparked up a joke in an attempt to get the darker boy to laugh. Oh, how Cole had a lovely laugh—Jay felt as if he won a prize every time he heard the sound. Bonus points if it was because of Jay himself, or earned a smile. 

But now it felt different.

That time had felt real. 

Jay was rendered speechless once again, and he did not even know quite why.

The boy remembered years ago, when the pair had first met. It was a lot more awkward than he would like to admit. They were complete strangers; teenage boys, nonetheless. They were competitive as is, and often found trying to one up the other. When Zane and Kai arrived, it only seemed to up the feeling—and each boy tried harder. 

However Jay and Cole had been closer themselves. Mess after mess, threat after threat, the pair always returned back to each other. Jay knew that Cole had just a messy past as they all did; many lighthearted stories shared later, it was common knowledge to know how the older boy grew up: alone.

The mere thought pained Jay, but he often shrugged off the sincere concern with a joke, as he normally did. All the while, he was worried—worried because growing up with a family there for him every step of the way felt like a privilege . . Especially when Cole did not quite have that.

And looking back, Jay pieced together that the challenges had only tightened the friendship, and turned them into the strong teammates they are now.

And it was all because they had happened to meet the same old man. Well, that, and because they had power surfacing within their veins. Jay did not know that before; that he was a lightning elemental master. And now, he could not imagine it any other way. 

It made him confused, however: why would Cole seem to give up so easily about finding their master?

He knew Cole cared. Hell, they all did, but everyone could tell Cole was impacted the most. And when one could visibly see the Earth ninja was feeling down, it was obvious everyone was. Losing Wu? . . It was a big downfall.

Out the door, and walking in what felt like feet deep of snow, Jay lifted his gaze—eyes peering over to the other boy.

“Hey, Cole?”

A hum. 

“There’s something I wanna ask you.”

It was not quite the question that had been bubbling at the back of his head for days now; he knew it was a specific question he had been wanting to ask for a while now, but it was definitely a bad idea. Because if huddling for warmth seemed to put a dent into the boys’ relationship, Jay knew the question in his mind would only make it worse. But this new one surely was still a question . . And one he wanted the answer for, too. 

“Yeah?”

“Why are we giving up?”

“We’re not,” Cole answered breathlessly, head tilted down, as if he was sheltering his face—as if there was more information he was holding back that Jay did not know about. 

“But last night y—.”

Jay had paused. Was mentioning last night a bad idea? It was not like they kissed or anything, right? Nothing permanent nor personal. Maybe Jay was just overthinking, as per usual; perhaps the truly was nothing special between the pair. But giving up was not normally in Cole’s attitude; if anything, Jay was more the type to break off of a plan—it was the impatience part of him that constantly nagged about going back to the heated Ninjago City. 

But surely some pestering would not actually ruin their search, would it?

Cole finally peered over, steps going slower so he could walk closer to the ginger haired boy. “I, what?”

“You said we’d make it. You promised—that we’d make it back, right?” Jay asked, embarrassment brightening his face. His words were soft as if he was recoiling. And his eyes flickered over to meet Cole’s dark glorious hues, a blue curious glaze shining within the cool mountain air.

He watched Cole nod, obviously unsure as to where the conversation would be going. Hell, Jay was not quite sure either—even if he was currently the one full of questions.

Of course, Jay was . . Exhausting when it came to emotions. And Cole? . . The lightning ninja knew Cole was not the best at them either. 

But what happens in the Alps, stays in the Alps, right?

It was now or never, he thought, mouth opening to ask—to speak the first, yet simplest question on his mind. No, it was not a kiss; it was over Cole’s behavior. And making sure the Earth Ninja was alright was Jay’s top priority.

“How can we make it back fine when we still lost someone?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments n kudos r always appreciated <3


	3. i’m blushing cuz it’s cold, duh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And Cole did what he felt as if he had been doing for years; he chased after Jay.

Shit. 

Jay was going to ask about it all now, wasn’t he? There was no way out of this one.

“Jay—.”

“And really, dude, if we’re quitting cuz of me—cuz I kept talking about the cold, I don’t actually mean it. I know nothing comes easy anymore, especially for—.”

“Jay!”

Cole stopped walking, and turned to the side, hands gently grabbing the younger boy’s shoulders—to make him stop, as well. Earth sighed, a deep verbal sigh, that wisped away into the thick mountain air. Here it was; not stopping the real, full truth from coming out now. He knew it was inevitable, but yet nothing had stopped him from pushing back the ideas before. 

He watched Jay hesitate for a moment, eyes focusing on the black cladded boy in front of him—at his hands and the hold against him, and then back at his face. His breath was up pace; Cole could tell by the quickened rise and fall of his chest through all the layered blue clothing. 

Say it, Cole told himself; just say the full truth that lightning needs to hear.

Tell him everything he, himself, knows, whether or not it sounds absolutely ridiculous. Even if it might just be more false hope to dangle onto, they both deserve to know everything. After all, the last time secrets were withheld, it seemed all hell broke loose, and the two boys had a momentarily bitter relationship. 

Cole did not want to repeat that. But he was not sure if he wanted to see the sparkle of color diminish from Jay’s eyes after losing so much again. 

“There’s something that I . . That I have to tell you, okay?” Cole began, attempting to let the truth come out slowly, to let it come out soft as to not earn an uprising outcome. God, he sounded like Wu—keeping important secrets up until the last second. Apparently the apple does not fall far from the tree after all. 

Jay had only nodded, eyes continuing to glaze over the black ninja. And Cole paused once more. They were so close—Jay was once again so utterly close to him. He could visibly see the younger boy shivering, feel the blush on his reddened cheeks. The difference in height, in body, had Jay tilting his head up—and Cole, of course, was gingerly peeking down. 

“What is it?” Lightning asked obliviously, and it was only then Cole realized it had been an awkward moment too long; he was staring.

And so Cole gingerly blinked, watching Jay’s eyes flicker curiously underneath the blue mask. “This—.” Pause; what was the word the old lady used again? “This temple, right? We didn’t see it on our way up, did we?”

Jay raised a skeptical eyebrow, eyes casting to the side as if actually thinking about the answer. Perhaps he was trying to look past his clouded mind for the recollection of memories . . Cole knew that was surprisingly hard—especially after the recent events in which took place both in, and out of the little shack.

“I dunno.”

Cole sighed, although it was full less of relief and more due to the fact he would actually have to explain everything more in-depth. His hands dropped nonchalantly down to his side, after realizing the noirette was still holding Jay . . A little too close, for a little bit too long. Although, being completely fair, neither boy decided against it—Cole tried not to think much of it in the moment anyway.

“I woke up early this morning,” began the black clad once again, shifting a step back. His feet slid into the deep snow, wind tugging aimlessly at his jacket’s edges. “Because there was this bang, and some old—this strange old lady outside. And she told me to go there—to the temple, I mean.”

Jay simply blinked, eyebrows visibly furrowing with confusion. Cole always knew the blue ninja was very animated with his expressions—that he usually publicly displayed his emotions without even thinking about it too much. Perhaps that might explain why Jay’s face was usually blushed red around Cole after all. Even through the ninja gi’s mask flipped up, Cole could tell Jay was thinking hard about it all. After all, the lightning ninja was a tinkerer—a craftsman . . Not only that, but he was often over the top.

Annoying? . . Maybe sometimes. But Cole grew to appreciate it anyway.

“Uh,” blinked the ginger, a hand up confusingly. “You, what?”

“I listened to her,” the noirette repeated sheepishly, nose scrunching at how truly dumb it sounded. “She told me that there was an old man who—erm, who arrived at the temple with no memory.”

“Cole.”

“Please, Jay, I know it sounds ridiculous, but I’m running out of options here and I just have to find W—.”

“You mean to tell me,” began Jay, taking a step back as well. His voice sounded as if it was tense. 

Cole suddenly realized this was one of the worst ideas ever—not to mention the way such awful information was coming out; lame, in the middle of nowhere. All he could see was snow, and all he felt was hope slowly burning out. He hated coming off so desperately, but the black ninja was truly starting to be just that. Maybe he did lie to that old lady; perhaps he just wanted to believe he was doing alright. He just wanted—he needed to find the old sensi. 

Maybe he was lying to himself about how he felt towards Jay, too.

“That we’re leaving ‘cause of some creepy lady outside the shack?”

Oh, shit. That was exactly what it looked like.

xxx

Jay was even more embarrassed—beyond than he initially fathomed could be possible.

A strange old lady, standing outside. Who even knows what she saw? . . What she was thinking at the time? At least that truly explained why Cole was outside so early and why he did not mention anything about some strange temple before. However, the mere thought that someone could have been possibly peeking in through a window while he and Cole were . . Close in contact, made Jay shiver—and no, this time it was not from the cold. 

He was not completely sure why. Nerves, maybe?

When the information broke free, Jay was confused at first. And slowly but surely, the truth dawned on him, wondering why Cole would keep something so petty withheld. 

There was hesitation sheepishly twisted in Cole’s words now. “. . Yeah,” answered the earth ninja, eyes pulled away to avoid direct contact.

It was a simple response, but yet for some reason, it flicked a bitter switch within Jay. “That’s stupid,” mumbled the ginger, eyes squinting to scan the other’s features. “It’s not funny, dude, if this is supposed to be a joke.”

“I’m not joking.”

It was a serious topic—and normally Cole would not dumb down nor lie about something as important as potentially finding Sensei. So that would truly mean the information was real, wouldn’t it?

Jay deadpanned, arms crossing over his chest in a visible annoyance. “What was an old lady even doing out here?” he asked, a finger bluntly pointing to the area they came from; he could barely even see the footsteps, as fresh snow twinkled around already from the sky. “Was she okay?”

“Yeah, she w—.”

Jay shifted, twisting a hand to the side of his head—the motion for a crazy person. “I mean, up here.”

“Probably?”

“We are betting everything on a probably?!”

“It’s a very certain probably,” the black clad rephrased. 

Jay could see how desperately he wanted to believe this possibility of Wu being the appearing old man so much—and yeah, Jay wanted to believe it, too. But after everything, it was so hard to keep going on such little strings of hope.

“I dunno what to say.”

Well.

That was the first. And even a blind man could see the continued shock trail across the earth ninja’s features at that answer.

“Just say something,” mumbled Cole. “You know we’re running out of options, and most of the time, after 48 hours, the chance to find whoever is missing drops. A lot. It’s been longer than 48 hours now, Jay—it’s been a year.”

“You’re crazy. Is that what you want me to say?”

“Well, no, but it’s better than not—.”

“C-R-A-Z-Y,” Jay spelt out, reluctantly tugging down his mask so his face was more visible . . So Cole could see all the doubt. Jay bubbled a nervous laugh, feeling the withheld bitterness bubble up again. “Worse than Kai when the DVD stops recording his dumb shows.”

Of course the movement made Jay shiver, cheeks brightening up once more. His skin was directly in contact with the frigid air. Jay knew well that Cole was not a liar. And even though Jay often said it, the earth ninja was not bluntly stupid. But this? . . Was bluntly stupid. Jay liked spending time with the team’s leader, he really did. He loved—well, everything about him, too. 

And the trust the pair had was unmatched. But this was ridiculous. 

Jay paused, squinting to read Cole’s expression through the slit of the mask over his brown eyes. Hands draped atop his hips, the lightning ninja sighed at the silence reactions. “You don’t even know if he was out here in the first place, do you?”

Cole’s shoulders fell, and it was an answer enough. 

“Dude,” mumbled the auburned hair boy.

“Where else would he be?” Cole asked, mimicking the other’s movement; pulling down his mask. “We’ve looked everywhere else.”

“Uh?” spluttered Jay, hands raised by his side dramatically in gesture. “Lost?! You know, in time, like everyone else said. I dunno, though, Cole, maybe he’s in another universe—one where you aren’t full of dumb ideas to camp out in four feet of snow for weeks on end!”

“Then why, Jay—why did you even agree to come with me in the first place if you hate it so much? If . . If you think Sensi isn’t gonna be here—if you hate snow?!”

Jay’s heart told him to say the deep and dark truth, too; to vocalize his thoughts with action and give up this petty argument by pulling Cole close—closer than last night and ignore the deep question and just go for it. He hated seeing the hopeless expression across Cole’s face and wanted to brighten the situation. However his mind, full of annoyance and adrenaline, said otherwise. The boy clenched his fists, eyebrows furrowing in a clear display of emotions. He was too in the moment to think a full thought that would make much sense anyway. His teammates did not say he was irrational for nothing, after all.

“Because no one likes being alone.”

“I guess I’m no one then,” Cole snapped back immediately.

And Jay felt his features drop again, shoulders altering regretfully because Cole’s answer? . . It hurt. 

xxx

He wanted to take the words back as soon as they left his mouth. Cole just wanted to apologize and hold Jay close in a tight hug, to have everything go back the way it was before time was something the team appeared to take for granted.

He was well aware it was the sudden angry urge deep within his bones sparking up to match Jay’s enthusiasm that helped push Cole over the edge. All of the guilt of loss, the desperation, bubbled over and he had began to yell back. And FSM, Cole knew that the moment those words even popped into his head, they were bad and he should not speak them.

Yet he did. 

And if Cole did not feel bad enough about everything before, the look on Jay’s face afterwards totally broke him. 

He watched a puff of cold air wisp up from Jay’s nose as the boy huffed. Arms fell limp by the blue ninja’s side as he took a step back in the direction of Ninjago City. “I guess so,” he mumbled breathlessly, eye contact tearing away from Cole. The crinkle of light diminished from the usually energetic boy, and it only managed to fuel Cole’s guilt. “Fine—then I’ll just go back.”

“Back where?”

“Home . . Cole, I’m going home.”

Being alone was growing to become part of Cole’s normal. He grew up alone, he went through school by avoiding making friends, and up until a few years ago . . He would work alone, too. Yet looking at everything now, he wanted the total opposite of that. He did not want to mope around anymore; he was so damn lucky to have great friends with him like this through all of life’s struggles.

But all he seemed to do was push them away.

Even those who he wanted desperately to hold the closest. 

And hearing Jay’s words—that he would willingly walk away from this, from the connection he felt the two had, only made Cole feel worse somehow. 

“Jay . .” the earth elemental master mumbled. In his mind, the one word was full of so many emotions—of so many pleads and begs. However it looked like Jay saw none of them; while the pair seemed to be in sync most of the time, they unfortunately did not share thoughts. 

Cole had to subconsciously remind himself that sometimes. 

“What?” asked the blue ninja, the word coming off more like a harsh statement rather than a question. His body turned back to sheepishly face Cole once more. “What now?”

“You don’t have to—you know that’s not what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean, huh?”

“I just . .” began Cole, words low out of a sudden burn of embarrassment. He never really was one to talk about his feelings and everyone knew it, too. He risked taking a step forward to stand in front of the other. “I’m sorry, okay? I’m getting stressed out and I—.”

“You wanna find Wu.”

“Yeah.” A big relief came over the raven-haired as Jay finished his sentence for him. Of course, there was more than just finding Wu to it all, but clearly he did not have to admit all of it just yet. “I want Sensi back.”

“So do I,” agreed the blue ninja. “But that shouldn’t change keeping secrets to lie and—and you know, going to extreme limits where we almost freeze to death.”

“I know.”

“Do you?”

“Yeah,” Cole repeated, forcing himself to face Jay. He saw the way the redhead shivered in the frigid temperatures, trying his best to hide how cold he truly was. And Cole honestly could not blame him; it indeed was cold, and the earth elemental knew very well how discreet Jay tended to be with his deep inner emotions . . When lightning was not over-vocal about his ideas, the ninja kept them up hidden. It reminded Cole of someone. “I know . . And I’m sorry. But like you said, he . . Could be in time somewhere.”

The wind kicked in. Cole had to hold his hands out to the side to keep him from embarrassingly falling over. At least he knew that old lady was right about one thing: it definitely was going to snow storm even more. The sky had just begun to fade slightly darker, clouds approaching. 

“In the future,” corrected Jay after the wind dialed down. His hands rushed through the air in a lazy gesture. “That time could have sent him in the future. But you’d think the least the old man could do was give us a hint as to where.”

“Maybe he went to the past?” suggested Cole.

“I dunno . . Cuz then somethings would have changed, right? And nothing did.”

“Misako has been looking for him, too,” Cole sighed. “If something did change, she would tell us.”

“We haven’t even heard from her since Wu disappeared.”

“I know,” said the black ninja, and it frightened him. If Misako had not said anything, that would technically mean there was nothing found that hinted as to where the lost sensi was after all

“Okay then,” simply answered Jay with a shrug of his shoulders. “So what now? . . Do you really think Wu is gonna be there—at this . . Temple?”

The noirette nodded, trying his best not to take Jay’s trust for granted. “I do; it’s worth a shot to at least try,” he said with a nod of his head . . Only because there was nowhere else Sensei could possibly be.

His eyes watched Jay pull his hoodie over his features; the light blue material covered back up the boy’s freckled, crimson cheeks. The energetic ninja’s gloved fingers wiggled, as if he was trying his best to welcome back the warmth onto his precious bare skin. Jay shifted, feet turning before looking over the white ground to where the temple was located. 

“Then what are we waiting for?”

xxx

Once the pair began walking again, Jay did not want to stop the silence. Cole had eagerly nodded at Jay’s last sentence, before pulling up the dark mask of his own . . And the both of them sheepishly began to pace to the temple in the windy snowfall that seemed to swirl faster every second.

And that was that.

Jay let his thoughts run wild instead, going over what had just happened—how they argued. That . . Was not good, right? Sure, all people argue—even married couples and best friends . . But do they always fight over the stupid stuff?

Jay thought he read somewhere that fighting deep down, meant that one cares. Maybe the blue ninja just cared a bit too much.

Perhaps he still did not know how to deal with it either. 

He knew very well that the ninja put a lot of trust into one another on the daily without even thinking too much about it. Jay was there to witness the falling off of cliffs and trusting another member to grab his ankle. He was there to go through it. And of course, sometimes too much trust can be a powerful thing when put into the wrong hands. 

But Jay came to realize he trusted Cole with his life, all the way. Through all the rude banter and troublesome times, he still called the team leader his best friend. 

Through the lying and false accusations, Jay still knows he would not have it any other way . . Because he absolutely loved it. 

And he could only hope that Cole felt the same way.

Feet slipping into the snow, the lightning elemental shuffled. He felt the practically frozen water around the souls of his shoes, however having the freezing feeling curl up his ankles was new. Of course the snow was deep, and each step left deep footprints in the fluffy precipitation. 

But Jay did not acknowledge he had fallen until he was spitting snow out of his mouth.

“Ow!” yelped the boy, trying his best to detangle himself from within the falling snowflakes. He had pulled his mask down to free his mouth, blowing raspberries. As a hand pushed down to the ground in an attempt to prop himself up, the boy’s gloved fingers only dove deep below the top sheet of snow again as well—causing him to fall right back to square one. His shins were coated in the cold snow, too, as a productive of falling straight forward. 

Wind ruffled his blue tinted clothing, threatening to tear the material away had it not been tucked in layers for warmth. Jay was just able to register that Cole had yelled his name before he felt much stronger hands reach down in a quick moment to pull him successfully back up. 

The ginger’s first instinct was to pat himself down to get rid of the frosted flakes. He was visibly shivering even more so, spinning in circles and wiggling as if it would help remove the snow. Leaning forward, the boy shook his head, watching snow drip off from his mask.

Jay felt the presence of Cole only a handful of short steps away, before laughing cackled through the thick, dense mountain air. The lightning elemental master managed to throw a scowl in the taller boy’s direction before Cole’s laughs slowed down to a stop. 

“Are you okay?” asked the black clad; without even vocally laughing, the bubbly happiness was still very much present in his words. 

Jay sighed, blinking up at the other with a deadpan expression. “I’m cold,” he answered simply, eyebrows knitted to clearly display his discontent. However he was pleased his embarrassment had indirectly brightened up the mood. 

“You looked like Zane with his funny switch on while trying to get the snow off of you.”

The energetic ninja tried his best to hold in the laugh that threatened to break through, but to no anvil. Just the simple image of the white ninja goofily dancing could brighten his day. And so with the addition of Cole tied into the situation, it was all too much. It felt even more bubbly to know that ever since climbing this mountain, things had been gloomy. 

When Jay snorted, he could see how Cole’s eyes squinted; the familiar sign that the rock master was grinning for successfully brightening the situation . . Again, with ease. 

Suddenly, any bitter feelings that Jay felt earlier about keeping secrets seemed to diminish . . All the hatred filled words about their sticky situation were gone. Jay felt that bubbly atmosphere from a few days ago, when climbing other mountain peaks, spark back.

The playful banter—the bright beginning hope; he felt the familiar butteries dance within his stomach that he always got when alone with Cole. 

He knew if he successfully rid the snow from his gi, the material would still be damp and he would be cold anyway. So the boy paused, taking his hands off of his legs to stop patting his pants free of snow, and stood up straight. 

And with one swift motion, he dove forward atop of Cole in a tackle. 

Yells sparkled through the air as both boys toppled down onto the feet of snow; tiny snowflakes openly covered the pair. 

Jay watched Cole’s confident grin wash off his face, replaced by a visible wave of shock. 

And the lightning master’s lips were grinning instead. 

“How do you like it?” commented Jay jokingly. Both of his hands were perched on Cole’s solid chest, using the noirette to slowly stabilize himself to stand back up after a moment. Being so close was only allowing the butterflies to grow, and he felt his face immediately flush up from his own actions.

The redhead let his laughs sparkle through without holding back now, chest rising and falling with the burst of funky energy. His mask was still partly tilted over his doe curls, so the boy tilted his head down to watch Cole. 

The black ninja’s eyes were squinted, and Jay took it as a good sign that he, too, was smiling brightly. 

“It’s real refreshing, thank you,” was Cole’s answer. Jay watched as the noirette clumsily sat up, arms sprawled behind him to keep him steady. He was mockingly wiggling his arms, just as the lightning wielder had done previously. And Cole was right; the movement did look absolutely silly. 

However, Jay registered the incoming kick only a bit too late, and had fallen right back onto the soft ground. 

“Hey!” he shouted on instinct, gingerly kicking Cole’s foot away to prevent the stronger ninja from knocking him down once more. 

When he managed to sit up, Jay was greeted by Cole’s cheerful expression—by his bright eyes and strong form; that was the Cole Jay knew best . . It was the Cole he loved. And neither boy could hold back the laughter that emitted. The snow around the two was obviously messed up due to all the footprints and tripping up limbs, causing imprints. If someone was to randomly pass by, the two ninja would have some awkward explaining to do . . But Jay did not care. 

It was the little things that counted, when it came down to it. And something like this? He knew he would hold onto.

xxx

Cole was happy again.

Hearing Jay’s upbeat laughter come so naturally made him do flips inside. And the earth ninja could not help but realize that Jay was only laughing because of him. It only made his heart flutter more. 

However, it shortly dawned on Cole that the only reason the atmosphere had bitterly dropped in the first place was because of him, too . . And that thought made his laughing slow down. 

Of course Cole felt bad about lying and holding back his stupid information. Especially now, as it appeared the lightning elemental did not mind too much. After all, where did they have left to even look? What would make the situation better than forcing each other to resort to the silent treatment out of a sudden stupid hatred?

“Are you good?”

The upbeat voice took Cole off guard, eyes dawning back onto planet earth with a surprised glance. “What?” he asked immediately.

Jay’s eyebrows wiggles, as if the blue ninja was trying to read Cole’s expression. “Are you okay?” rephrased Jay, who was now in the process of fixing his mask. His voice still full of joy, even if he tried his best to play it naturally. 

“I’m okay,” answered the black ninja. His lips curled into a reassuring smile, unsure if it was truly out of assurance . . Or because Jay’s positive attitude just had that effect on him. 

Before the smaller ninja could reply, Cole found himself standing up. His legs wobbled at first, still feeling extremely cold . . Just like the rest of him. He knew very well that Jay felt the same, because the blue ninja was basically shivering. After clapping Cole’s hands briskly together, the boy reached down; Jay accepted the helpful offer without hesitation and stood back up. 

“Good thing all this snow was here to catch our fall,” added Jay once both boys were upright again. 

Cole’s eyes were following the horizon, looking past the blue ninja besides him and towards the temple. He nodded, and if the boy squinted he was sure he could see the top of the building they were trying to reach. “Correction,” hummer the noirette after a moment. “You fell. I was tackled. There’s a difference.” He paused, to chuckle a laugh. “And I will get you back for that.”

By the crinkle of Jay’s eye that he saw through the blue mask, the smaller boy’s smile had ignited once more in a curious satisfaction. Cole told himself to keep it together at the beautifully delicate features, just as a gust of wind rushed by. Instinct told him to hold his hands out, watching shock wash over both their features at how strong the blow was.

It reminded him when the team had to climb the nearby Wailing Alps to get to the Cloud Kingdom . . The only difference being, Cole was not a ghost—and he could very well be blown down this time around.

So his fingers reached forward and intertwined with Jay’s to offer both boys purchase to stay still against the wind. 

They swayed with the harsh breeze, before the wind quieted down a bit. Cole’s feet shuffled into the snowy ground, as if to pass as an anchor. He glanced up and over at Jay—trying not to focus on the reddened shade barely visible underneath both their masks. 

Damn, it was . . Cold. 

It was cold, and that was why Cole was blushing. 

Right. 

The blue ninja shook his head; snow gently fluttered down into the ground. Cole released his hand, and his fingers suddenly felt empty, much to his own dismay. The earth elemental offered a nervous laugh, turning around to scan the boy’s surroundings. 

Snow; everywhere, as per usual. It briefly reminded Cole of a bare desert . . However instead of dry sand forever blowing around, it was the freezing participation. 

“We should get going again,” vocalized the black ninja after the moment of shock over the sudden breeze passed. “There’s gonna be a storm coming, I’m sure.”

“It’s been storming since we got here—for weeks, now!” Jay said, partly confused.

And memories of the morning flooded Cole; the fact that he reacted the same exact way to the old lady’s words when she noted about the future storm. “A bigger one, bud,” Cole added, one hand over his eyes to block the wind, as the other pointed. “And the temple is just over there—I can see it.”

Jay turned to follow the other ninja’s finger. Cole watched him bounce onto his tippie toes in anticipation. “I can’t,” mumbled the ginger. “There’s too much snow.”

Cole began walking, taking steps in the right direction. He patted a hand gently across Jay’s back as he passed the boy. “Then follow me,” he said cheerfully, “and I’ll lead the way.”

He could see the spark of blissful hope that flickered back into those deep, blue eyes. Cole smiled brightly, watching Jay nod. Another gust of wind brushed through; both boys gingerly had their hands out to stay upright—fingers just barely brushing together this time. 

“Ay ay, captain,” Jay pipped up once the wind gently dialed down. “Let’s go to the future . . Or something.”

Then he took off running, using the breeze to fuel his speed.

And Cole did what he felt he had been doing for years; he chased after Jay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi hi y’all
> 
> i apologize for the longer wait, bc i got stupidly side-tracked. however, i DO plan to finish this story soon.
> 
> there will def be another chapter ( or two ) .
> 
> also, i wanted y’all to know i will NOT be writing out the direct scenes from the show’s episode. immediately following after this chapter, the first scene from s8 with jay and cole plays—where they bust in the door and such. the next chapter will kick in AFTER the canon scene is finished.
> 
> and ya know, it’ll talk abt how they leave and react to lloyd with the phone call and such—with obviously a little bit more. [ wink emoji ] 
> 
> so, yeah! i hope that makes sense. i hope y’all enjoyed this chapter, and as always, comments n kudos r appreciated. <33

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! comments / kudos / etc, are always appreciated. <3
> 
> i have the second chapter almost written out, and I hope to post it in a few days!! xoxo


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